"Yes, sir; cut. Some one has sawed through it with a sharp knife; and I want to know who it was." "Some one up here on the platform?" "No, sir; I'll answer for that," said the corporal. "Some one then in the ammunition chamber?" "Nay; I don't believe any one there would do it, sir," growled Ben, who was now busy splicing the line, which came swinging down by the window. "How's that?" said Roy, eagerly. "What--that rope, sir? One of the lads has swarmed up the flag-staff, and run it over the wheel again," cried Ben, who now re-attached the flag, well above the splice, and began to haul it up again, the folds gliding from his shoulder, and out of the window, to rise into sight from the platform, where the men greeted it with a hearty cheer. "Ha!" ejaculated Ben, as the colours reached the top, and he fastened the line. "That don't look like surrendering, sir." "No, Ben; but I want to know who dared to cut it. Who has been here?" "No one but old Jenk, sir. He came and stopped some time, standing in the door-way, looking on and chattering to us a bit before he went down." "Oh, but surely he wouldn't have done such a thing as that, Ben!" "So I say, sir. If he did, it's quite time he was taken over to the church, and buried, for he must be out of his wits." "Oh, impossible! He couldn't have done it. Are you sure it was cut?" "Well, sir, you see the end." "It must have been frayed by rubbing against the edge of the parapet." "Didn't look like it sir; that's all that I can say." "Has any one else been here?" "Not as I know of, sir; but we've been too busy to see, keeping our faces to the enemy. I thought I heard some one run down." "Well, it was an unfortunate accident, Ben; but you've soon repaired it," said Roy. And he stepped out on to the platform to look aloft at the flag, which was once more fluttering and flapping in the breeze; and then he stepped upon a stone to gaze over towards the enemy's battery to see if the lowering of the flag had had any effect there. But all was quiet. They had evidently ceased firing for the evening, and the shades of night were descending so quickly, that the figures in the rear of the earthwork were beginning to look dim and indistinct. Away to the right, though, was a shadowy body which seemed to be moving along towards where the enemy's camp lay, behind the wooded patch of country; and Roy was not long in coming to the conclusion that it was a troop of horse, returning from the neighbourhood of the battery.